Improvement in knob-latches



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THOMAS SLAIGHT, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

Letters Patent No. 91,174, dated June 8, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNOB-LATCHES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of thesame.

To all whom it ma/y concern:-

Be it known that I, THOMAS SLAIGHT, of Newark, in the county of Essex,and' xState of New Jersey, have invented a new and improved Lock; andIdo hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable. those skilled in the art to makeand use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of thisspeciication.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in locks; and

It consists in combining a single spring with a slide or latch, in sucha manner that th'e slide or latch, in closing the door, will be allowedto move back independently of the lever, knob-arbor, and knobs, and, atthe same time, the slid'e or latch allowed to\be moved oi' operated asusual by the turning of the knobs, while the latter, when the' slide orlatch is forced back by the closing of the door, will be firmly held orprevented from casually turning, so that no jingling or rattling of theknob-arbor and its concomitant parts can occur.

The object of the invention is to obtain a means whereby the slide orlatch may be thrust back with ease, or with but little resistance, whenthe door is closed by a push or slam, and thereby insure the catching orsecuring of the door, and also prevent the wear of. the bevel of theslide or'latch, and the nosing into which the outer end ci the slide orlatch catches, and at the same time prevent any casual movement andrattling of the knob-arbor, knobs, and other parts connected therewith.

The accompanying drawing represents au internal view of a lock, orlatch, constructed according to my invention.

A represents the case of a lock or latch. j

B, the bead, through which the knob-arbor passes, provided withprojections, a a, which, when` either Vknob is turned, act against alever, O, connected with the slide or latch D.

The inner part of the slide or latch D, has an oblong slot, b, made init, through which a pin, c, which projects from the lever C, passes; andthe inner side of the slide or latch is provided with a shoulder, d,against which the upper end of a lever, E, bears; said lever workingupon a fixed fulcrum, e, in the lockcase A, as clearly shown in thedrawing.

F is a spring, one end of which is connected to the lower end of thelever E, and the opposite end to the lower end of the lever O. Thisspring has a tendency to keep the slide or latch D out from thelock-case as far as it is designed to move or go.

From the above description, and by reference to the drawing, it will beseen that the slide or latch D may be shoved back without anyresistance, except that which is oiered by the spring F, and the slightamount of friction attending the movement of the slide or latch, theoblong slot b admitting of this; and it will also be seen that, inopening a door, the slide or latch may be moved back as usual by turningeither knob, the arbor of which passes through the head B. Hence, theusual friction attending the movement of the lever C, and the turning ofthe head B, when the slide or latch D is forced back in the closing of adoor, isvavoided, the catching of the door, when closed with a push orslam, insured, and the wear of the nosing and the bevel of the slide orlatch prevented, while the knob-arbor is effectually prevented, at alltimes, from casually turning, owing to the action of the spring F onlever O, and the consequent pressure of the latter against theprojections a a, which are sometimes termed dogs. This latter feature ofthe invention is an important one.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The spring F andlevers G E, in combination with the latch D, provided with the' oblongslot b, all arranged to operate in the manner substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

THOS. SLAIGHT.

Witnesses:

FRANK BLOCKLEY, ALEX. F. ROBERTs.

